Pigs
1 Paperback/1 CD (see all formats)

"Narrator Toren’s bright, enthusiastic voice conveys an ample appreciation of her porcine subject. In addition, she uses vocal emphasis and carefully calibrated pauses to delineate parallel concepts or underscore contrasting characteristics. Unlike some of Gibbons’ titles, much of the information in this volume is conveyed in a linear fashion through the primary text rather than though facts embedded in the illustrations. This is fortunate, since a few of the double-page spreads in the accompanying book (notably, the page headed “Some Common Breeds of Pigs”) lead to momentary confusion, as they are read from left to right across the breadth of both pages. Nevertheless, young listeners will learn some amazing facts about these often maligned creatures, including that they may be smarter than dogs, that piglets gain 10 times their birth weight in their first six weeks of life, and that the record weight for a pig is 2,000 pounds. This production will be popular in areas where preschools make annual visits to a farm as well as with early elementary students in need of information for assignments and reports."

"Gibbons's nonfiction picture books are brought to life complete with sound effects in these charming readalongs. Each book focuses on one animal, with detailed descriptions of habitats, food, and life cycles along with definitions and occasional pronunciations of terms associated with the animals. Along with this abundance of information, there are colorful illustrations to accompany the text. Employing a different narrator for each title adds variety. During Polar Bears, for example, narrator Dion Graham leaves time for the listener to look at a map. The narrators also read all the captions for the pictures, which can become tedious on some pages, but the occasional background music adds to the atmosphere. These will be a welcome addition to any library collection."